Samuel  L.    Gerould,   Pastor 


History 
of  the 
Conp-recrational   Church 
in  Goffstown,   N,   H. , 


,       6  C 


%3 


A  BRIEF 


HISTORY 


OF    THE 


CONGREGATIONAL    CHURCH 


IN  GOFFSTOWN,  N.  H., 


BEING   PAKT  OF   A 


SERMON  PREACHED  BY 


Samuel  L.  Gerould,  Pastor, 


JULY  9,  187G, 


WITH  A  FEW  LATER  ADDITIONS. 


BRISTOL,  N.  U. : 
R.   W.  MUSGROVE,  PRINTER. 

1881. 


A  BRIEF 


HIST  OR Y 


CONGREGATIONAL    CHURCH 


IN  GOFFSTOWN,  N.  H., 


BKING    PART    OF    A 


SERMON   PREACHED  BY 


Samuel  L.  Gerould,  Pastor, 


JULY  9,  187G, 


WITH   A   FEW  LATER  ADDITIONS. 


BRISTOL,  X.  H. : 

li.    VV.  MUSGROVE,  PRINTER. 

1881. 


c 


HISTORY. 


This  town  was  settled  in  1741  or  1742,  and  was  chartered  June 
17,  1761.  The  people  at  that  time  were,  as  in  all  New  England 
towns,  a  church-going  people.  It  was  considered  disreputable  to 
be  habitually  absent  from  divine  service  on  the  Sabbath.  Accord- 
ingly we  find  that,  as  soon  as  possible  after  receiving  their  charter, 
measures  were  taken  to  secure  the  ministrations  of  the  gospel.  At 
the  first  annual  town  meeting,  held  at  the  barn  of  Thomas  Karr 
(where  the  meetings  were  convened  for  many  years),  it  wras  ''Voted, 
that  £100  be  raised  for  preaching,"  and  Dea.  Thomas  Karr  and 
Asa  Pattee  were  appointed  a  committee  to  expend  it.  It  was  also 
"Voted,  that  half  the  preaching  be  at  James  Karr's  and  the  other 
half  at  John  Smith's."  It  is  probable  that  all  the  public  religious 
services  of  that  day  were  held  in  barns,  as  we  find  by  a  vote  in 
March,  1763,  that  it  was  the  will  of  the  town  that  the  preaching  for 
that  year  be  at  James  Karr's  barn.  At  the  same  meeting  £100  was 
appropriated  for  preaching.  At  the  annual  meeting  March  5, 1764, 
£300  was  appropriated,  and  it  was  " Voted  that  £200  be  preached 
out  at  John  Smith's,  and  the  other  £100  thereof  be  equally  divided 
on  each  side  of  the  Piscataquog  river."  The  next  year  the  same 
amount  was  appropriated,  but  the  services  were  all  to  be  held  "at 
Thomas  Karr's  barn."  In  1766  the  amount  voted  for  preaching 
was  reduced  to  £150,  and  the  selectmen  were  instructed  to  expend 
it.  In  1767  only  £9  was  voted  for  this  purpose,  but  as  £3  was  all 
that  was  raised  for  town  charges,  it  is  probable  that  the  difference 
was  owing  to  the  shrinkage  of  the  currency.  Two  somewhat  curi- 
ous votes  stand  side  by  side  in  connection  with  the  annual  meeting 
of  this  year,  which  will  serve  to  show  the  changes  time  and  truth 
have  wrought.  The  one  is  "that  the  town  support  no  school  this 
year ;"  the  other  that  it  "pay  for  the  rum  used  at  the  bridge  by  the 
Mast  fordway." 


It  will  have  been  observed  that  the  town,  rather  than  individ- 
uals, supported  public  worship  at  this  time.  The  towns  also 
erected  the  meeting-houses.  The  Congregationalists  were  the 
"standing  order,"  and  so  all  the  tax-payers,  for  many  years,  con- 
tributed to  the  support  of  this  denomination.  There  was  a  provis- 
ion, however,  b}'  which  those  conscientiously  opposed  to  this  order, 
and  in  favor  of  some  other,  could  be  released  by  the  selectmen,  in 
which  cases  their  taxes  wrent  to  support  the  denomination  to  which 
they  were  attached.  There  were  many  Presbyterians,  some  Ana- 
baptists, as  tliey  were  called,  and  a  few  Episcopalians,  that,  in  this 
manner,  were  released  from  supporting  the  Congregationalists. 
Hut  all  voters  must  pa}T  their  proportion  towards  the  support  of 
some  religious  worship,  and  for  man}'  years  the  town  assessed  and 
collected  all  moneys  expended  for  this  object.  Various  sums  were 
}-earry  voted  by  the  town  for  this  purpose,  until  the  formation  of  a 
church  and  the  settlement  of  a  pastor,  when  the  sum  was  usually 
voted  by  the  church,  but  assessed  and  collected  by  the  town. 

The  Congregational  Church  was  organized  Oct.  30,  1771.  Its 
records,  for  the  first  ten  years  of  its  existence,  were  destroyed  by 
fire  many  years  since,  so  it  is  impossible  to  give  its  strength  or  say 
very  much  about  it,  for  that  time.  The  names  of  eighteen  persons, 
incidentally  mentioned,  who  must  have  been  members,  have  been 
culled  from  the  subsequent  records;  and,  as  most  of  these  are 
names  of  men,  it  is  safe  to  presume  that  more  than  fifty  must  have 
been  added  to  the  church  during  this  period. 

It  is  probable  that  a  Presbyterian  church  or  society  was  formed 
very  soon  after,  for  in  an  old  record  book  of  the  Londondeny  Pres- 
bytery, lost  for  many  3-ears,  but  recently  discovered  in  one  of  the 
antiquarian  bookstores  of  Boston,  is  this  record  from  the  minutes 
of  a  meeting  held  at  Newburyport,  Mass.,  May  13,  1772  :  "Order- 
ed that  a  certificate  be  delivered  to  the  Presbyterian  society  of 
Goffstown,  manifesting  their  being  under  the  care  of  this  Presby- 
tery." The  Prebyterians  held  a  service,  more  or  less,  every  3rear 
in  private  houses  and  barns,  but  never  had  a  meeting-house,  nor  a 
settled  minister,  although  a  certain  Mr.  Pidgin  preached  for  them 
some  time.  Very  little  can  be  ascertained  in  regard  to  this  church. 
In  the  town  records,  under  elate  of  April  16,  1781,  fifty-six  names 
of  males  are  appended  to  a  declaration  that  they  are  Presbyterians. 


It  is   possible  that  not  until  this  year  did  they  become  a  separate. 
legal  paiish,  though  relieved  from  paying  "rates"  in  1773. 

From  the  beginning  there  were  some  Anabaptists,  as  they  were 
then  called,  whose  "parish  rates,"  at  their  request,  were  applied  to 
the  support  of  Baptist  preaching  at  Hopkinton,  where  they  attend- 
ed till  1793.  During  this  year  a  church  of  this  order  was  formed 
in  town,  though  it  had  hardly  move  than  a  name  to  live  until  it  was 
reorganized  in  1820.  They  were  without  a  house  of  worship  till 
1834,  when  the  present  structure  was  erected. 

There  were  also  a  very  few  Episcopalians,  whose  parish  rates 
were  applied  at  Newburyport,  Mass.  How  often  these  persons 
worshipped  in  that  place  we  have  no  means  of  knowing,  but  they 
hardly  could  have  gone  so  far  more  than  once  or  twice  in  a  year. 
The  town  records  have  this  entry  under  date  of  March  7,  1791. — 
"This  certifies  that  Capt.  John  Butterfield  hath  joined  the  Episco- 
pal Society  in  Goffstown,  and  means  to  support  the  gospel  in  that 
mode  of  worship.  (Signed)  John  Smith,  John  Clogston,  Wardens." 
Under  date  of  March  4,  1793,  is  this  record— "This  may  certify  all 
persons  whom  it  may  concern,  that  Mr.  Enoch  Eaton  of  Goffstown 
professes  himself  to  be  a  member  of  the  Episcopal  church  now 
erected  in  said  town,  and  has  helped  to  maintain  the  gospel  in  that 
line  for  some  time  past,  as,  witness  our  hands,  Job  Dow,  John  But- 
terfield, John  Smith,  Win.  McDougal,  Wardens."  From  this  it 
would  appear  that  there  was  at  that  time  an  Episcopal  church  or 
society  in  this  town,  but  I  have  been  unable  to  discover  other  evi- 
dence of  it. 

As  early  as  17GG  the  inhabitants  began  to  move  for  the  building 
of  a  place  of  worship  At  a  town  meeting  held  Sept.  29th  of  this 
year  it  was  "Voted,  that  the  meeting-house  be  built  on  the  south 
side  of  the  river  on  the  convenientest  place  in  the  crotch  of  the 
roads  as  they  lead  from  the  bridge  to  the  Mast  road."  This  is  very 
near  where  the  Baptist  church  now  stands.  It  was  also  "Voted, 
that  the  house  be  forty-four  feet  long,  thirty-eight  feet  wide,  and 
twenty-two  feet  post,"  and  that  "it  be  raised,  boarded  and  shingled 
by  the  first  day  of  October  next."  But  the  question  of  the  two 
sides  of  the  river  disturbed  our  fathers,  as  it  has  their  children, 
and  the  opposition  to  this  vote  was  so  strong  that  the  committee 


did  nothing.  The  town  was  also  about  evenly  divided  upon  an- 
other question.  The  settlers  on  the  north  side  of  the  river  were 
mostly  Congregationalists  ;  those  on  the  south  side  were  mainly 
Presbyterians.  The  latter,  in  getting  a  vote  to  build  on  their  side 
of  the  river,  gained  a  temporary  triumph.  But  the  votes  were 
soon  rescinded.  The  next  July  the  town  voted  to  build  a  smaller 
house  "near  Dea.  Karr's  shop,"  which  vote  was  rescinded  at  the  fol- 
lowing March  meeting,  in  1768.  But  our  fathers  evidently  were 
becoming  wearied  with  this  contention,  and  so  at  this  meeting  fixed 
upon  the  location,  and  empowered  Samuel  Richards,  Enoch  Page, 
Wm.  McDoell,  Asa  Pattee,  Joshua  Martin,  Job  Rowell  and  Thom- 
as Karr  to  build  the  house  "according  to  their  own  mind." 

On  the  27th  of  April,  1768,  the  house  which  most  of  us  remem- 
ber, standing  near  the  school- house  at  the  Center,  and  which  was 
taken  down  in  1869,  was  raised.  It  was  not  completed  for  several 
3*ears.  Various  sums  were  appropriated  from  year  to  year  for  this 
purpose.  It  was  occupied  as  a  place  of  worship  as  soon  as  shin- 
gled and  boarded.  In  August,  1769,  the  "pew  ground"  in  the 
body  of  the  building  was  sold  at  a  "vendue,"  and  the  avails  were 
used  toward  completing  the  house.  The  names  of  the  purchasers 
at  that  time  were  Samuel  Blodgett,  Wm.  Gilchrist,  Robert  Gilmore, 
Capt.  James  Karr,  Dea.  Thomas  Karr,  Job  Kidder,  Joseph  Little, 
Capt.  John  Mack,  Daniel  McFarland,  Samuel  McFarland,  Asa 
Pattee,  Samuel  Richards,  Benjamin  Stevens  and  Moses  Wells. 
The  "vendue"  occupied  two  days  and  was  probably  accompanied 
with  considerable  discussion.  Others  afterwards  secured  "pew 
ground,"  until  most  of  the  bod}*  of  the  house  was  sold. 

The  second  house  of  worship  in  town  was  erected  in  1815  and 
1816,  and  was  dedicated  July  3,  1816  ;  Rev.  John  H.  Church,  d.d., 
of  Pelham,  preaching  the  sermon.  It  stood  upon  or  very  near  the 
present  site  of  Mr.  Samuel  M.  Christie's  house.  It  was  quite  a 
large  building,  with  galleries  on  three  sides,  and  had  a  bell.  After 
its  erection  services  were  held  in  this  house  two-thirds  of  the  time, 
the  other  third  being  in  the  old  house  at  the  Center.  In  1845  it 
taken  down  and  moved  away. 

'  The  third  meeting-house  was  built  in  1838,  which  was  the  one  occu- 
pied by  the  Methodists,  and  which  was  struck  by  lightning  and 
burned  a  few   j'ears   since.     The   old  meeting-house  had  become 


quite  dilapidated  and  uncomfortable,  and  a  new  one,  upon  which 
the  town  should  have  no  claim,  was  very  much  needed.  Besides 
this  there  was  a  feeling  on  the  part  of  those  living  in  the  Center 
and  east  part  of  the  town,  that  they  were  not  receiving  so  many 
privileges  as  the  west  village,  a  large  part  of  the  preaching  being 
at  the  latter  place.  The}7  were  also  hoping  to  form  a  parish  of 
their  own,  and  so  have  sanctuary  privileges  every  Sabbath.  Their 
desires,  however,  were  not  realized,  and  in  1842  the  house  was 
sold  to  parties  by  whom  the  Methodist  church  was  organized. 

During  the  pastorate  of  Rev.  Isaac  Willey,  and  largely  through 
his  influence,  the  present  house  of  worship  was  erected,  at  a  cost 
of  about  $2,500.*  It  was  dedicated  in  October,  1845,  from  which 
time  all  the  Sabbath  services  were  held  in  this  house.  Its  seating 
capacity  was  increased  in  1869  by  the  addition  of  twenty-eight 
pews. 

A  parsonage,  costing,  complete,  about  $2,700,  was  built  in  1870, 
and  a  chapel  or  vestry,  for  the  social  meetings  of  the  church,  was 
erected  in  1875,  at  an  expense  of  $2,750. 

Having  spoken  of  the  houses  of  worship,  we  naturally  next 
come  to  the  ministers  of  the  gospel.  A  history  of  the  ministers 
of  olden  time  is  largely  a  history  of  the  church  over  which  the}' 
were  settled.  There  was  then,  on  the  part  of  church  members, 
very  little  of  what  we  now  call  religious  activit}-.  Such  a  thing  as 
a  layman  talking  religion  or  praying,  otherwise  than  in  his  own 
family  was  hardly  known.  About  the  only  public  expression  of 
religious  life  consisted  in  attending  the  two  very  long  preaching 
services  on  the  Sabbath,  being  punctual  at  the  communion,  and 
presenting  ones  children  for  baptism.  Upon  all  these  points  thej7 
were  very  strict.  The  church  was,  therefore,  more  largely  than  now, 
what  its  pastor  made  it. 

At  a  town  meeting  held  Aug.  31,  17G9,  it  was  "Voted,  that  we 
keep  Mr.  Currier  four  days,"  meaning,  probably,  four  Sabbaths. 
It  is  likely  he  had  already  preached  several  Sabbaths,  being  em- 
ployed by  the  committee  for  that  year,  and  that  the  town,  with  a 
view  to  his  settlement,  wished  to  hear  him  longer,  as  we  find  that, 
on  the  24th  of  October  following,  a  committee  was  appointed  to 
treat  with  him  in  regard  to  settlement.     On  the  13th  of  February, 

*TIiis  was  the  cost  iu  money.    Had  time  and  labor  been  reckoned  tbe  amount  would  have 
been  largely  increased. 


8 


1770,  a  forma!  call  to  settle  in  the  ministry  was  voted  him  by  the 
town.  But  for  some  reason  it  was  not  accepted.  It  was  renewed 
July  29,  1771,  and  was  accepted  the  17th  of  August  following. 
He  was  to  have,  as  a  settlement,  the  use  of  a  certain  tract  of  land, 
reserved  by  the  proprietors  of  the  town  for  that  purpose,  and  £40 
a  year  the  first  five  years,  £45  the  next  three  years  and  £50  a  3'ear 
after  eight  years.  His  salary  was  to  be  paid,  one-balf  in  corn  and 
the  other  half  in  labor.  He  was  ordained  Oct.  30,  1771,  the  same 
day  the  church  was  organized.  Mr.  Currier  was  settled  by  the 
town  rather  than  1>3T  the  church.  The  ordaining  council,  which 
also  recognized  the  church,  was  composed  of  Rev.  Daniel  Emer- 
son of  Hollis,  Rev.  Henry  True  of  Hampstead,  and  Rev.  Gyles 
Merrill  of  Plaistow,  chosen  by  the  town,  besides  five  chosen  by 
Mr.  Cunier  whose  names  are  not  given.  His  ministry  wa?  a  brief 
one  for  those  days,  a  little  short  of  three  years.  He  was  very  in- 
temperate in  his  habits,  and  was  dismissed  by  the  town  and  church 
Aug.  29,  1774.  without  the  advice  of  a  council.  Probably  he  did 
not  care  to  appear  before  one. 

Rev.  Joseph  Currier  was  born  in  Amesbury,  Mass.,  March  18, 
1743  ;  was  graduated  at  Harvard  College  in  17G5,  and  studied  the- 
ology in  private.  After  his  dismissal  from  this  church  he  removed 
to  Corinth,  Vt.,  where  he  died  July  24,  1829,  aged  86. 

This  town  shared  in  the  burdens  of  the  Revolutionary  war,  fur- 
nishing seventy-four  men  for  the  army,  besides  large  quantities  of 
beef  (13,000  lbs.  at  one  time)  assigned  them  by  the  government,  as 
its  quota.  For  this  reason,  probably,  after  Mr.  Currier  left,  there 
was  no  stated  preaching,  but  only  occasional  supplies,  till  1781. 
The  fact  that  the  Presbyterians  and  Anabaptists  had  been  relieved 
April  19,  1773,  from  paying  their  rates  for  Congregational  preach^ 
ing  may  have  had  something  to  do  with  it. 

On  the  27th  of  Dec.  1781,  Cornelius  "Waters  was  ordained  and 
installed  pastor  of  this  church,  the  call  having  been  voted  the  23d 
of  August  previous.  In  this  transact  ion  the  town  had  no  part. 
The  churches  in  Sutton,  Amherst,  Merrimack,  Pembroke,  Plaistow, 
Atkinson,  Hollis,  Concord,  Warner,  Hopkinton,  and  Hampstead 
were  invited  on  the  council.  As  preparing  the  way  for  his  coming 
and  his  success  in  his  ministry,  the  church  observed  the  first  day 
of  December  as  a  day  of  fasting    and  prayer.     Rev.    Henry  True 


of  Hampstead  was  Moderator  of  the  Council,  and  Rev.  Jeremiah 
Barnard  of  Amherst  scribe.  Mr.  True  gave  the  charge  to  the 
pastor,  Rev.  Jacob  Burnap,  d.d.,  of  Merrimack,  gave  the  fellow- 
ship of  the  churches,  Rev.  Gyles  Merrill  of  Plaistow  the  ordaining 
prayer,  and  Rev.  Elijah  Fletcher  of  Hopkinton  the  concluding- 
prayer. 

He  received  a  settlement  of  £100,  and  a  salary  of  £70  a  year  for 
the  first  five  years,  and  £80  thereafter.  He  seems  to  have  been  a 
very  worthy  man.  During  his  ministry,  fifty-seven  were  added  to 
the  church  and  thirty-three  -owned  the  Covenant."  During  the 
latter  part  of  his  pastorate  there  were  dissentions  in  the  chinch. 
A  council  was  called  for  their  settlement,  but  they  were  not  settled. 
A  day  of  fasting  and  prayer  was  appointed,  but  the  difficulties  con- 
tinued. Mr.  Currier  was  too  loose  in  his  habits,  and  Mr.  Waters 
by  some  was  thought  too  strict.  The  lovers  of  ardent  spirits  were 
determined  he  should  leave.  So  he  asked  a  dismission,  which  was 
granted  May  4,  1795,  after  a  ministry  of  fourteen  years.  To  the 
record  is  appended  the  following  : — •4Notandum  Bene.  The  vote 
accepting  his  resignation  was  passed  in  the  east  end  of  the  meeting- 
house on  the  common,  at  the  time  of  the  annual  parish  meeting 
by  adjournment,  and  the  church  condescended  to  do  it  to  quell  the 
violence,  rage  and  confusion  which  prevailed  in  a  distracted  party 
of  the  church  and  parish  in  the  parish  meeting."  The  opposition 
won  the  day,  which  was  all  they  cared  for,  as  the  leaders  ceased 
attending  meeting  or  helping  in  the  support  of  worship  so  that 
after  three  years  is  was  found  necessary  to  expel  them. 

Cornelius  Waters,  the  second  pastor  of  this  church,  was  born  in 
Midbury,  Mass.,  May  12,  1749;  graduated  at  Dartmouth  College 
in  1774.  Like  Mr.  Currier  he  studied  theology  in  private.  From 
here  he  removed  to  Ashby,  Mass.,  where  he  was  installed  in  1797 
and  dismissed  in  1816.  He  continued  to  reside  in  Ashby  till  his 
death,  July  30,  1824. 

After  the  expulsion  from  the  church  of  those  disaffected  with 
Mr.  Waters,  the  sober,  second  judgment  of  the  people  convinced 
them  they  had  all  done  wrong.  There  had  been  much  hard  feeling 
between  the  Congregationalists  and  Presbyterians.  An  unholy 
strife  for  members  had  been  carried  on  by  both  churches.  A  day 
of  fasting  and  prayer  was   appointed,  and  the  Christian   people 


10 


were  humbled.  A  vote  was  passed  by  the  Congregational  church 
that  they  would,  thereafter,  be  more  careful  in  the  reception  of 
members.  The  result,  in  a  few  words,  was  that  a  "plan  of  union" 
between  the  two  churches  was  adopted  Dec.  29,  1801,  and  the}'  be- 
come one,  under  the  name  of  the  Presbyterian-Congregational 
Church  of  Goffstown.  The  Government  was  to  be  according  to 
the  Congregational  polity,  with  the  right  of  appeal  to  Presbytery 
or  Mutual  Council,  as  the  parties  might  elect. 

Up  to  1790  the  Half  Way  Covenant  seems  to  have  been  in  use. 
This  was  an  arrangement  by  which  adults,  whose  outward  lives 
were  correct,  by  "owning  the  covenant,"  were  permitted  to  receive 
the  rite  of  baptism  themselves,  and  present  their  children  for  this 
ordinance.  We  have  the  names  of  thirty-eight  persons  who  were 
admitted  under  this  covenant.  It  made  bad  work  with  religion 
wherever  it  was  adopted,  as  it  was  virtually  a  letting  down  of  the 
bars  of  the  church  to  an}'  who  chose  to  come  in  in  this  wa}r,  with- 
out any  personal  interest  in  the  Saviour  of  sinners.  This  Half 
Way  Covenant  was  originally  promulgated  in  1662,  by  a  Council 
convened  in  Boston  by  the  General  Court  of  Massachusetts,  to 
settle  existing  difficulties  in  the  churches.  The  reason  for  its 
adoption  was,  because  at  that  time  none  but  baptized  persons 
could  vote.  But  it  was  adopted  or  was  in  use  in  many  places,  as 
here,  a  long  time  after  this  reason  had  ceased  to  exist,  so  far  as 
applied  to  town  affairs.  All  who  "owned  the  Covenant"  could, 
however,  vote  on  church  affairs,  and  much  trouble  was  sometimes 
made  in  consequence.  It  seems  gradually  to  have  fallen  into  dis- 
use in  this  place  as,  ever  after  the  union  of  the  two  churches,  the 
church  members  regulated  their  own  affairs  as  now  ;  except  that 
in  the  matter  of  choosing  and  dismissing  pastors,  the  act  of  the 
church  must  be  accepted  by  the  parish,  as  now  b}T  the  society. 

Upon  the  adoption  of  the  plan  of  union,  Dec.  29,  1801,  a  call 
was  extended  to  Mr.  David  Lawrence  Morril  "to  settle  with  us  in 
the  work  of  the  gospel  ministry,"  and  he  was  ordained  and  in- 
stalled March  3,  1802.  lie  received  a  settlement  of  $300  and  an 
annual  salary  of  $300.  For  the  purpose  of  meeting  the  desii'es  of 
the  Presbyterians,  six  elders  were  appointed,  namely,  John  Rich- 
ardson, Jona.  Stevens,  Thomas  Warren,  Thomas  Shirley,  Thomas 
Kennedy  and  Robert  Moore,  the  last  three  having  been,  originally, 


11 

Presbyterians.  John  Taggart  and  William  Story  were  soon  after 
added.  The  ministry  of  Mr.  Morril  was,  on  the  whole,  a  success- 
tul  one,  for  he  was  a  man  of  prudence,  ability  and  piety,  and  so 
won  the  confidence  of  the  entire  community.  Thirty-four  were 
added  to  the  church  during  his  pastorate.  The  Presbyterian  and 
Congregational  elements,  however,  were  not  quite  in  harmony,  and 
many  of  the  former  withdrew  in  1803.  Intemperance  prevailed  in 
the  church  to  an  alarming  extent,  but,  to  the  credit  of  the  church 
be  it  said,  every  case  was  met  by  discipline.  Mr.  Morril's  health 
having  become  poor,  or  rather  his  voice  failing  him,  he  resigned 
his  charge  and  closed  his  labors  Nov.  4,  1809.  His  resignation 
was  not  acted  upon  by  a  council  till  July  10,  1811.  It  is  probable 
that  in  the  intervening  time  he  occasionally  preached.  From  this 
time  till  the  latter  part  of  1818  there  was  no  regular  preach- 
ing, although  the  town  appropriated  f.r  this  purpose  in  1816  the 
sum  of  $200,  the  society  the  same  amount  in  1817,  and  $150 
in  1819. 

David  Lawrence  Morril  was  born  in  Epping,  .Tune  10,  1772.  He 
never  went  to  college  ;  but  studied  theology  with  Rev.  Jesse  Rem- 
ington of  Candia.  In  1808  he  received  the  degrees  of  A.  M.  and 
M.  D.  from  Dartmouth  College,  and  in  1825  the  degree  of  LL.D. 
from  the  University  of  Vermont.  He  continued  to  reside  in  tbis 
town  for  many  years  after  his  dismissal,  in  the  practice  of  medi- 
cine, and  was  moderator  and  clerk  of  the  church  until  another 
pastor  was  chosen.  He  represented  the  town  in  the  Legislature 
from  1810  to  1816,  inclusive,  the  latter  year  being  Speaker  of  the 
House.  The  same  year  he  was  elected  to  the  United  States  Sen- 
ate for  six  years  from  March  4,  1817.  He  was  also  Governor  of 
the  State  in  1824-5.  He  removed  to  Concord  in  the  autumn  of 
1831,  where  he  engaged  in  the  book  trade,  and  where  he  died  Jan. 

27,  1849. 

In  1816  an  Ecclesiastical  Society  was  organized  for  the  support 
of  Congregational  worship,  called  the  Religious  Union  Society, 
which  was  incorporated  Dec.   11,  1816.     This  remains  until  this 

day. 

In  1819  a  call  was  extended  to  Mr.  Hosea  Wheeler  which   was 

declined. 

In  the  spring  and  summer  of  1819  the  place  was  blessed  with  a 


12 


very  powerful  revival  under  the  preaching  of  Rev.  Abel  Manning. 
Sixty-eight  were  received  into  the  church  in  the  year  1819  ;  the 
largest  number  ever  received  in  any  one  year.  In  the  "History  of 
the  New  Hampshire  Churches,"  Rev.  E.  H.  Richardson  says  of  this 
revival  "There  were  a  few  women  whose  persevering  prayers,  in 
the  midst  of  great  obstacles,  were  answered  in  this  revival  of 
religion.     They  prayed  it  into  existence." 

Benjamin  Henry  Pitman  was  ordained  Oct.  18,  1820,  for  the 
term  of  five  j-ears.  During  his  ministry,  in  1822,  the  Religious 
Union  Society  received  by  will  of  Thomas  W.  Thompson,  one 
hundred  seventy  acres  of  land,  the  avails  of  which  were  to  be 
used  for  the  support  of  a  Congregational  minister.  Mr.  Pitman 
had  main'  warm  friends,  and  he  was  earnestly  requested  to  remain 
longer  than  his  five  3-ears,  but  he  declined.  He  was  dismissed 
Nov.  15,  1825.  The  following  incident  occurred  during  his  minis- 
try which  illustrates  the  difference  between  those  times  and  these. 
In  the  autumn  of  1825,  the  bog  road,  so  called,  was  built,  and 
Mr.  Pitman,  as  road  survej-or  for  one  of  the  districts,  had  charge 
of  a  certain  part.  Strong  drink  was  freely  used  at  that  time,  and 
thought  no  sin,  provided  one  did  not  take  enough  to  overcome  him 
On  this  occasion  Mr.  Pitman  did,  and  as  a  consequence  got  into  a 
quarrel  with  some  of  his  men.  But,  to  his  honor  be  it  said,  he  af- 
terwards sought  and  obtained  the  forgiveness  of  the  individuals  and 
of  the  church — for  the  quarrel, — not  for  the  drinking.  The  bibulous 
propensities  of  the  inhabitants  at  that  time  were  strongly  developed. 
Shall  I  give  you  the  names  of  those  licensed  by  the  town  to  mix  and 
sell  liquors  that  year?  They  were  Daniel  Farmer,  Robert  Hall, 
Jona.  Butterfield,  Gideon  Flanders,  Parker  &  Whittle,  John  Smith, 
Ephraim  Warren,  Daniel  M.  Shirle}T,  Eliphalet  Richards  and  John 
Little. 

Mr.  Pitman  was  born  in  Newport,  R.  I.,  Nov.  28,  1789  ;  received 
neither  a  college  nor  a  seminary  education  ;  but  probably  studied 
theology  in  private.  On  leaving  this  place  he  returned  to  New- 
port, R.  I.  He  died  March  8,  1868.  I  cannot  ascertain  whether 
he  ever  preached  after  leaving  this  place. 

It  will  have  appeared  that  there  was  need  of  a  temperance  ref- 
ormation in  this  place.  "When  the  enemy  cometh  in  like  a  flood" 
we  have  the  promise  that  "the  Spirit  of  the  Lord  shall   lift  up  a 


13 

standard  against  him."  It  was  just  about  this  time,  1826,  when 
the  temperance  reformation  in  this  country  commenced.  A  few 
had  received  the  light,  but  most  were  in  darkness.  Rev.  Henry 
Wood,  who  followed  Mr.  Pitman,  was  a  total  abstinence  man.  He 
was  ordained  May  31,  1826.  Through  his  exertions  and  that  of  a 
few  of  the  church,  a  vote  was  passed  that  year  discountenancing  the 
use  of  liquor  at  funerals.  That  was  as  far  as  they  could  go  at 
that  time,  as  rum  was  used  upon  every  occasion  by  nearly  every 
person.  It  was  always  set  before  the  minister  when  he  made  his 
parish  calls.  But  so  much  advance  had  been  made  under  Mr. 
Wood  that,  in  the  winter  of  1829-30,  a  vote  was  passed  by  the 
church  testifying  against  the  use  of  liquors  in  any  form,  except  as 
medicine.  It  is  not  to  be  inferred  from  this  that  every  member  of 
the  church  had  become  a  teetotaler,  but  that  the  light  was  breaking 
and  the  temperance  cause  advancing.  Mr.  Wood  was  not  only  a 
temperance  man,  he  was  a  spiritual  man.  whom  many  with  U3  to- 
day remember  with  tender  interest.  His  ministry  was  blessed 
with  revivals,  one  hundred  fifty- two  being  added  to  the  church. 
He  seems  to  have  left  on  account  of  inadequate  support.  He  was 
dismissed  Nov.  29,  1831. 

lie  was  born  in  Loudon,  April  10,1796.  Was  graduated  from 
Dartmouth  College  in  1822.  where  he  was  tutor  the  following  year. 
He  studied  theology  at  Princeton,  1823-4,  and  was  Professor  of 
Languages  in  Hampton  Sidney  College,  Va.,  1825.  from  which  in- 
stitution he  received  the  degree  of  U.D.  in  1867.  After  his  dis- 
missal from  this  church,  Nov.  30,  1831,  he  preached  three  and  a 
half  years  in  Haverhill,  live  and  a  half  years  in  Hanover,  edited 
the  Congregational  Journal  at  Concord  for  fourteen  years,  preach- 
ed at  Canaan  two  years,  was  U.  S.  Consul  in  Syria  and  Palestine 
four  years,  and  Chaplain  U.  S.  N.  from  1858  until  his  death  at 
Philadelphia,  Oct.  9.  1873. 

On  the  day  after  Mr.  Wood  was  dismissed  Rev.  David  Stowell 
was  ordained.  The  ministry  of  the  former  closed  and  that  of  the 
latter  commenced  in  the  midst  of  a  revival.  It  is  somewhat  re- 
markable that  all  the  discussions  in  regard  to  raising  Mr.  Wood's 
salary,  some  of  which  were  heated,  did  not  have  the  effect  of  driv- 
ing away  the  Holy  Spirit — but  doubtless  there  were  fervent  prayers 
Continually  ascending  that  He  might  continue  to  abide  with  them. 


14 


These  facts  teach  this  truth,  that  a  revival  does  not  depend  upon 
any  one  man,  not  even  upon  the  minister.  Mr.  Stowell  was  a 
strong  temperance  man,  and  dealt  its  enemies  many  heavy  blows. 

A  sermon  which  he  preached  in  this  place  forty-one  years  ago, 
and  which  was  printed,  is  said  to  be  a  fair  example  of  his  style. 
He  was  dismissed  Dec.  15,  1836  ;  the  cause  assigned  in  his  letter 
of  resignation  being  ill  health.  This  letter  is  full  of  tenderness 
and  affection,  and  a  hearty  vote  of  confidence  in  him  was  after- 
wards passed  by  the  church. 

Mr.  Stowell  was  born  in  Westmoreland,  Dec.  29,  1S04,  gradu 
ated  at  Dartmouth  College  in  1829  ;  studied  theology  in  private. 
Before  coming  here  he  taught  the  Deny  Academy  two  years.  He 
went  from  here  to  Townsend,  Mass.,  where  he  was  installed  pastor. 
June  28,  1837.  While  there  the  fellowship  of  the  churches  was 
withdrawn  from  him,  on  account  of  alleged  misconduct.  He  went 
to  Fitzwilliain  and  engaged  in  farming  for  a  number  of  years,  and 
died  there  March  29,  1854. 

All  the  pastors  who  have  thus  far  been  named  have  passed  to 
their  reward.  Most  of  them  were  good  and  faithful  men.  though 
not  without  their  faults.  They  are  now  seeing  the  fruits  of  their 
labors,  as  the}'  could  not  see  them  here.  In  most  cases  the 
seed  they  sowed  was  good,  it  was  watered  with  their  prayers  and 
tears,  but  it  did  not  spring  up  till  they  had  passed  away.  It  very 
often  occurs  that  God  sends  one  generation  into  the  world  to  sow 
seed  the  harvest  of  which  another  generation  shall  gather. 

We  come  now  to  the  ministiy  of  Rev.  Isaac  Willey,  who  was  in- 
stalled Nov.  23,  1837.  He  was  the  first  pastor  of  this  church  who 
had  ever  had  a  previous  settlement.  He  came  here  from  Roches- 
ter -where   he  was  ordained  Jan.  18,   1826,  and  dismissed  in  1834. 

His  pastorate  here  extended  over  nearly  seventeen  years,  the 
longest  term  of  any. 

Just  after  Mr.  Willey's  settlement,  as  he  was  engaged  to  preach 
all  the  time  at  the  west  village,  the  members  of  the  church  living 
at  the  Center,  and  in  the  east  part  of  the  town,  to  the  number  of 
sixty-four,  feeling  that  they  were  neglected  b}T  the  removal  of  the 
meetings  to  the  west  village,  sought  letters  of  dismission  for  the 
purpose  of  forming  a  church  of  their  own  at  the  Center.  They  ap- 
plied to  Mr.  Wallace,  before  he  was  settled  at  Manchester,  to  preach 


15 

for  them.  If  we  may  judge  from  the  votes  passed  at  that  time,  this 
request  was  entertained  in  a  Christian  spirit,  without  any  attempt 
to  force  them  to  remain.  The  result  was,  their  petitions  were  with- 
drawn, and  an  arrangment  was  made  by  which  Mr.  Willey  was  to 
preach  one  third  of  the  time  at  their  new  house. 

During  Mr.  Willey's  ministry,  his  house,  situated  where  David 
Grant's  now  stands,  was  burned  in  the  dead  of  night,  with 
most  of  its  contents  ;  and  he  and  his  family,  ten  in  number,  were 
left  without  a  shelter.  In  this  fire  many  of  the  valuable  papers 
and  records  of  the  church  were  destroyed.  His  pecuniary  loss 
was  largely  made  up  to  him  through  the  liberality  of  friends  in 
this  and  adjoining  towns. 

From  the  "History  of  the  New  Hampshire  Churches,"  I  make  this 
extract.  "In  the  beginning  of  1841 ,  a  women  in  the  character  of  a 
preacher  came  to  this  town,  and  held  meetings  almost  daily.  Her 
hearers  increased  until  the  large  church  (the  old  church  at  the  Cen- 
ter) holding  nearly  one  thousand  persons,  was  filled.  She  professed 
no  connection  with  any  existing  church,  and  was  sustained  for  a 
time  by  persons  who  had  been  expelled  from  the  Congregational 
and  Baptist  churches.  In  the  following  spring,  1842,  more  than 
one  half  the  voters  in  town,  and  nearly  all  those  who  had  never 
been  willing  to  support  any  other  preacher,  came  to  her  support. 
A  number  of  persons,  who  had  made  a  profession  of  piety  hastily. 
were  drawn  otf  from  each  of  the  churches.  The  excitement  oc- 
casioned by  her  preaching  after  a  few  months  declined." 

Tliis  event  seems  to  have  caused  great  fear  to  the  church.  There 
was,  however,  hardly  any  occasion  for  it.  Had  the  church  let  it  en- 
tirely alone  doubtless  the  excitement  would  have  passed  away 
sooner  than  it  did.  It  sometimes  requires  a  highly  sanctified  hu- 
man nature  and  common  sense  to  let  such  things  alone.  The  ad- 
vice of  Gamaliel  to  the  people,  after  the  excitement  produced  by 
Peter's  preaching,  is  often  worth  following  in  these  days :— "Re- 
frain from  these  men,  and  let  them  alone  :  for  if  this  counselor  this 
work  be  of  men,  it  will  come  to  nought :  but  if  it  be  of  God,  ye  can- 
not overthrow  it,  lest  haply  ye  be  found  even  to  fight  against  God." 

Fifty-five  were  added  to  the  church  during  Mr.  Willey's  minis- 
try ;  but  his  work  is  not  to  be  measured  alone  by  this  standard. 
He  closed  his  labors  March  27,  1853,  but  was  not  formally  dismiss- 
ed till  May  17,  1854. 


16 


He  was  born  in  Campton,  Sept.  8,  1793;  was  graduated  at 
Dartmouth  College  in  1822,  and  studied  theology  at  Andover  with 
the  class  of  1825,  and  also  with  Rev.  Benet  Tyler,  d.d.  After 
completing  his  labors  here,  he  was  appointed  Agent  of  the  Amer- 
ican Bible  Society  for  New  Hampshire,  retaining  his  home  here  un- 
til 18G5,  when  he  removed  to  Pembroke,  where  he  now  resides. 

A  call  was  extended  by  the  church  and  society  in  1854  to  Mr. 
Franklin  Tnxbnry,  but  it  was  not  accepted. 

The  next  pastor  was  Rev.  Elias  H.  Richardson.  He  was  born  in 
Lebanon,  Aug.  11,1827;  was  graduated  at  Dartmouth  College  in 
1850  ;  at  Andover  Theological  Seminary  in  1853.  He  was  ordain- 
ed pastor  of  this  church  May  18,  1854,  and  was  dismissed  Oct.  30, 
1856.  Subsequently  he  was  pastor  at  Dover  seven  3*ears  ;  at  Provi- 
dence, R.  I.,  three  years  ;  at  Westfield,  Mass.,  five  years  ;  at  Hart- 
ford, Conn.,  seven  years,  and  was  settled  at  New  Britain,  Conn.,  in 
1878,  where  he  now  is.  He  received  the  degree  of  D.D.  from  his 
alma  mater  in  1876. 

Rev.  John  W.  Ray  became  acting  pastor  April  1,  1857.  He  was 
invited  to  settle  but  declined.  He  closed  his  labors  May  1,  1867. 
He  was  born  in  Chester,  Dec.  23,  1814  ;  was  graduated  at  Dart- 
mouth College  in  1843.  Previous  to  his  coming  here  he  had  been 
a  teacher  in  Atkinson  Academy  ;  Manchester  High  School  ;  at 
Eastport,  Me.;  at  Merrimack  Normal  Institute;  at  Pinkerton 
Academy,  Derry  ;  and  also  pastor  at  Rockville,  Ct.  Since  leaving 
here  he  has  been  acting  pastor  at  Hastings  and  Lake  City,  Minn., 
being  now  at  the  latter  place. 

Mr.  Charles  A.  Tovvle  was  called  to  the  pastorate  in  1868,  but 
declined. 

Your  present  pastor  was  born  in  New,  now  East  Alstead,  July 
11, 1834  ;  was  graduated  at  Dartmouth  College  in  1858  ;  studied  the- 
ology two  3'ears  at  Union  Theological  Seminaiy,  New  York  City, 
in  the  class  of  1861  ;  was  ordained  pastor  at  Stoddard,  Oct.  2> 
1861,  and  installed  pastor  of  this  church,  Feb.  4,  1869,  having 
commenced  his  labors  two  months  previousl}'. 

A  roll  of  the  church  from  the  beginning  had  never  been  kept. 
Within  a  few  years  one  has  been  made,  as  accurate  as  possible,  and 
it  now  has  upward  of  800  names.  Without  doubt  it  should  .con- 
tain from  twenty  to  fifty  more,  who  were  members  from  1771  to 


17 

1781,  but  the  records  are  lost.  The  eighteen  names  we  have  were 
found  scattered  through  the  subsequent  records,  where  reference 
was  made  to  them. 

There  have  been  seasons  of  revival  and  of  depression  in  the 
history  of  this  church.  Several  important  revivals  has  it  enjoyed  : 
in  1802,  under  Mr.  Morril;  in  1819,  under  Mr.  Manning ;  in  1826- 
7-8,  under  Mr.  Wood ;  in  1831-2,  under  Messrs.  Wood  and 
Stowell;  in  1835,  under  Mr.  Stowell;  in  1864,  under  Mr.  Ray; 
and  the  one  in  1875.  Two  fifths  of  all  the  additions  to  the  church 
from  the  beginning  have  occurred  in  these  years.  Against  these 
occasions  of  rejoicing,  we  must  place  other  seasons  of  depression 
and  trial,  when  the  hand  of  God  has  seemed  to  be  against  us  because 
of  our  sins — when  there  were  dissentions  within,  and  trouble  with- 
out, when  the  prevailing  iniquity  of  the  place  seemed  to  render 
futile  all  efforts  to  bring  about  a  better  state  of  things,  and  when 
defection,  intemperance  and  worldliness  seemed  about  to  rend  the 
church  in  pieces.  God,  having  planted  the  vine,  would  not  leave 
it  to  be  destixyed.  When  its  uprootal  seemed  imminent,  He 
watched  it  with  tenderest  care  ;  when  the  soil  about  it  had  become 
dry  and  hard,  He  watered  it  with  the  Holy  Spirit.  It  has  been 
with  it  as  with  the  church  of  God  from  the  beginning :  there  have 
been  times  when  it  seemed  as  though  it  would  die,  but  it  has  never 
died, — it  never  can  die  so  long  as  there  remain  in  it  those  who  are 
true  to  their  Master  and  to  each  other.  We  still  live  because 
"Hitherto  hath  the  Lord  helped  us." 

There  has  been  progress.  '  The  advance  may  not  have  been  seen 
from  year  to  3'ear,  but  we  can  see  it  now.  Within  the  memory  of 
those  now  living  a  member  of  this  church  sought  a  letter  of  dis- 
mission and  recommendation  to  a  Methodist  church,  which  was 
met  by  the  appointment  of  a  committee  to  discipline  her.  To-day 
we  should  all  have  said  to  a  similar  request  "Go  and  God  be  with 
you." 

In  early  times  the  services  of  the  sanctuar}7  were  very  length}' — 
the  two  sermons  were  each  about  an  hour  long — as  often  running 
over  this  time  as  coming  under.  The  prayers  were  very  long — 
the  "long  prayer"  so  called  not  usually  less  than  thirty  minutes. 
Between  services  the  people  went  to  the  "nooning  house"  where 
they  warmed  themselves  at  a  huge  fire  of  logs,  and   with  flip  and 


18 


cider.  Here  also  they  ate  their  brown  bread,  or  beans,  or  other 
refreshment  they  had  brought  with  them.  Here  the  women  filled 
their  dishes  with  coals  for  their  foot  stoves.  No  other  artificial  heat 
was  tolerated  in  the  house  of  God  for  many  years,  and  when  at 
last  stoves  were  introduced  there  was,  upon  the  part  of  the  conser- 
vatives, a  great  outcry  ;  they  claimed  they  were  uncomfortable  be- 
cause they  were  comfortable,  and  they  predicted  the  judgment  of 
heaven  because  of  the  sacreligious  innovation.  There  were  no 
prayer-meetings  in  those  early  days,  no  Sabbath  schools,  almost 
no  books  or  newspapers.  The  Sabbath  services  furnished  about 
all  the  mental  food  the  people  had,  save  what  they  received  from 
the  Bible. 

The  first  notice  we  have  of  a  prayer-meeting  in  this  place  was  in 
1826,  Aug.  16,  when  one  was  appointed  by  the  church,  and  neighbor- 
ing ministers  were  invited  to  attend,  and  aid  in  carrying  it  on.  April 
5,  1838,  a  monthly  prayer-meeting  was  established,  and  June  9, 
1844,  it  was  made  a  weekly  meeting.  It  was  evidently  given  up 
sometime  after,  as  a  vote  is  recorded  Jan.  7,  1847,  reviving  it. 
Let  it  not  be  inferred  there  was  no  praying  by  God's  people  before 
this,  because  there  was  not  social  prayer.  Our  fathers  did  not 
know  its  power  and  its  blessedness.  They  acted  according  to  the 
light  they  had.     Surely  there  has  been  progress  here. 

The  first  notice  of  Sabbath  schools  was  in  1821,  when  several  were 
appointed  in  the  various  school  houses  of  the  town  upon  Sabbath 
afternoons.  Of  what  the  exercises  consisted,  we  have  no  account, 
but  probably  of  little  more  than  the  memorizing  the  Bible  and  the 
Catechism.  When  the  Sabbath  school  was  introduced  as  a  part  of 
the  regular  services  of  the  sanctuary,  I  am  not  informed. 

It  may  surprise  some  of  you  to  knew  that  slavery  ever  existed 
in  this  place,  but  this  must  have  been  the  case,  as  Sept.  1,  1785, 
"Catherine,  a  negro,  formerly  belonging  to  Esq.  Blodgett,  was 
baptized." 

In  looking  at  the  way  the  Lord  has  led  us,  during  the  more  than 
a  century  of  our  existence,  we  have  abundant  reason  for  taking 
courage  and  pressing  forward.  The  timid  seldom  win  a  battle. 
God  said  to  Joshua,  "Be  strong  and  go  forward."  If  Joshua  had 
been  a  timid  man,  and  there  had  been  no  courageous  one  to  take 
his  place,  the  entrance  to  the  promised  land  without  doubt  would 


19 

Lave  been  delayed  for  a  long  time.  So  there  is  no  question  but 
the  church  looses  many  advantages  by  its  timidity,  by  forgetting 
that  its  cause  is  the  Lord's,  and  that  He  is  with  it  so  far  and  so 
long  as  it  follows  him. 

It  does  not  follow  that  every  act  of  the  church  is  right,  any  more 
than  it  does  that  ever  act  of  an  individual  is  right.  But  in  reading 
the  records  of  this  church,  one  will  be  struck  at  the  wisdom  dis- 
played in  the  most  critical  periods  of  its  history.  Wise  counsels 
usually  prevailed.  There  have  always  been,  as  now,  those  who 
were  radical  in  their  ideas,  not  stopping  to  look  at  the  conse- 
quences; and,  on  the  other  hand,  there  have  been  conservatives, 
who  never  would  have  had  any  change,  but  would  do  and  live  pre- 
cisely as  their  fathers  had.  These  two  classes  have  acted  as  a 
check  upon  each  other,  and  a  wiser  course  has  been  pursued  than 
as  though  either  had  had  full  control.  In  this  we  can  see  how  the 
Lord  has  helped  us. 

If  I  should  mention  the  names  of  some  of  the  early  members  of 
this  church,  few  of  you  would  recall  them,  while  the  most  of  you 
never  heard  them.  "Our  fathers  where  are  they?"  They  have 
fulfilled  their  earthly  mission  and  entered  into  their  reward. 
Formerly  they  travelled  these  roads,  or  roamed  over  these  hills 
and  through  this  pleasant  valley,  with  as  much  animation  as  we, 
as  full  of  hope,  as  full  of  the  consciouness  of  their  own  importance 
as  we.  Some  of  them  have  now  been  sleeping  for  two  or  three 
generations,  and  their  dust,  even,  could  not  be  found,  though 
sought  with  greatest  care.  Soon  we  shall  be  numbered  with  them. 
We  are  full  of  life  and  hope  to-day,  but  not  one  of  us  will  live  to 
see  the  next  centennial.  We  shall  take  our  places  in  the  dust, 
but  the  world  and  its  affairs  will  run  on  all  the  same.  Some  hearts 
will  bleed  when  we  are  removed,  but  the  surging  mass  will  not 
long  mind  it.  It  is  an  unpleasant  thought, — tending  to  humility  ; 
and  though  I  would  not  have  you  gloomy,  I  would  have  you  think 
of  it. 


PHOTOMOUNT 
PAMPHLET  BINDER 

Manufactured  by 

GAYLORD  BROS.  Inc. 

Syracuse,  N.Y. 

Stockton,  Calif. 


■y 


